Cliggett- Nastacio

In Remitting the Gift, Lisa Cliggett focuses on gift exchange and how it is necessary in order to understand Zambian families and the idea that they give money to their families despite their poverty status. When I first read about the idea of 'remitting' I associated it with heads of households who come to America to work and then send money back to their dependent families. However, Cliggett says that this is not the case. Instead these Zambian remittances only offer 'periodic luxuries' and not a form of substantial support. However it seems as if this might make families dependent on foreign economic help even if it is only periodic. Remittances offer a sort of mutual recognition between migrants, relatives and friends. It is more of a way to reinforce social networks. In one example, Mr. Mulenga stopped visiting his homeland and then wanted to retire there. However when he arrived with gifts he was told, "all these cothes are nothing--what we want is your soul" This brings up the question of even if he had kept visiting and sending gifts periodically, would he still be considered a part of his homeland even though he didn't physically live there?